A Journey of life through a lens

February 20, 2015February 20, 2015

That Island Life

Does every story NEED an ending? I really don’t want an ending to the adventure we are having! The way I look at it is: a chapter is completed…A chapter in my life that has changed me! I will share more thoughts on this matter in later posts. For now, I want to focus on closing out the travel chapter.

As soon as I set foot on US soil, I felt different. How so? I felt that I slowed down. The 3 months of being on the go caught up to me and reality set in. It’s as if I hit the brakes for the first time in a while. I began to sleep in, take more pit stops, stroll with no destination in mind, and contemplate on the wonderful things we experienced during the trip. This was not hard to do in beautiful Hawaii!

On the way home, it just made sense to break up the trip in Hawaii. At least, that was our justification! Jose and I had never been and we were excited! It made sense for us to stay in one island so we chose the big island. There was plenty diverse activities to do over the five days we spent there. The low amount of tourists on this island made it a laid back experience.

Jose was pumped about getting a tour of a coffee farm. We went to Hula Daddy Kona Coffee and had delicious coffee with a nice tour of the premises. Did you know that light roasted coffee is stronger than dark roast? The roasting process extracts caffeine.

Another main attraction of the big island is the Manta Ray Night Dive. I had promised myself that night dives were history for me but when in Rome, right?…..Jose promised me that it was well-lit so I agreed to do it. Earlier that week, there were high swells so the dive had a strong current. To sit on the bottom without rolling away I had to put a rock on my lap! I saw a huge manta ray with a 14 ft wingspan! The dive was well worth it and usually you are able to see anywhere from 5-15 Manta Rays feeding.

Another main attraction is the active volcano on the island. The ranger tour is fantastic! They are passionate about nature and preserving the ecosystem. Over time, there has been an introduction of animals not native to the island resulting in extinction of species. Animals and plants have been wiped out. It is an unfortunate result of migration. As humans, we have caused much destruction. On a positive note, we also have the power to make changes and preserve whats left. In some instances, we can restore what was once destructed. This ranger was so passionate about the positive work being done that it made the tour educational and motivating!

Back to the active volcano. Its active. There is a crater with a laval lake which you can see from a distance.

Hawaii was a paradise. I see myself going back easily! It served as a wonderful transition back to our family and friends. I was able to meditate and enjoy the beauty in life and the world.